Work handling apparatus for machine tools and the like



Jan. 16, 1940. 'E. w. BAKER 2,187,297

WORK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR MACHINE TOOLS AND THE LIKE Filed March 30,1938 Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 16,1940. B 2,1 7,297

WORK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR MACHINE TOOLS AND THE LIKE Filed March 50,1938 3 SheetsSheet 2 16, 1940. -w BAKER 2,187,297

WORK HANDLINGIFPARATUS FOR MACHINE TOOLS AND THE LIKE Filed March30,1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 retenteddan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT]creme it f 2,187,291 i j I WORK HANDLING APPARATUS FOR MACHINE TOOLS ANDTHE LIKE Edward Baker, LexingtonQMassx, assignor to Jefferson UnionCompany, Lexington, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts P ApplicationMarch 30, 1938, Serial No. 199,039

u u i 21 Claims. (Cl. -429) j u s The present invention relates to workhandling ate end portion 22 of a spring arm whichhas apparatusparticularly adapted for combination an elongatedrectilinear portion23merging with i with machinetools such as tapping machines. the outerbody portion of the plate. Therprojec- Th objecjt of the inventionwis tcprovide appations 2! are at about aefif xangleto the rectiratus' whichwill receive the work and rapidly linear portions 23 and the latter. aredisposed 5, i

[transfer it to a position to be operated onby substantially as theSides of a e s agflfi the ,tool,,will1firmlyhold the work during the aet of h s k s somewhat fl r ana 1 operationthereon, and will thenquickly release the maximumtransverse dimension oithe work i )the work.Desirably, the mechanisms are dupli piece to be centered so thatyielding centering o cated so that two-work pieces maybe operated c Q su ed "FleXingfif the p g arms is it), onisimultaneously. limited byblocks 24 securedfin. the slots 25 by As exemplifying the invention Ihave shown m ans f crew pa sed from t p ip y of it inithei accompanyingdrawings as embodied e t T e centering a a here s wn."

' y u in apparatus for internally tapping tubular fitis ma d m a singlep aj h h e c pi tings andfthe principles of the invention will be 131011f blocks It w v be b t 1 5 u explained with reference to thesedrawlngsin from Separate p u u Plate le s assembledas a unit wimniet laliigure l is an elevation of a tapping machine provided with the workhandling apparatus of 1 by means of screws'26. Plate'llfl has a centralcircular opening whose walls are somewhat conu the present invention,verged away from platetlliand, receive non-ro O u H Figure 2 is avertical longitudinal section of ta a h e a m ri efl w ose ed e: 1'the'work handling apparatus of Figure l on an toward Plate is nurAdjacent Pl enlarged scale, 1 plate 18 is relieved ans: so as to obviateinterierence with the free movement of the movable centering elements.

The abutment andoeritering units are secured u Figure 3 is a sectionsubstantially on line. 3--3 g5 oftFigure 2. i

Figure 4, is a section substantially on line 4-4 of Eiguref3. V to theends of the railsby means of cap screws f Figure 5is a sectionsubstantially. on line 5-5 paSsed through Openings 28 into e of h railsof Figure 12, i i u i i and through openings 29 into'theothenthe units I:30 i Figured is an elevation of a work centering debeing axial withtaps l3 and I4. Suitable 30 F vicaand clearance is provided between themovable cen-1 tering elements and the rail ends.

The end portions of rails l6 and l! are some what inwardly thickened andprovided with hori- Figure '7 is an elevation of mechanism for all-'tomaticallycontrolling the rotation and'reciprocation of the tool,

Referrlngto the drawings, reference numeral zontal guide grooves 38 and3! which receivere- 35 p QEigure 1, denotes generally the bed of a tappng machine, the bed supporting at its ends the twojtapping heads II andI2 which include the "1 taps' l 3 and hi, thetaps being rotatable on afiw common horizontal axis. Through control means not shown, the tapsare adapted to be simultaneously projected toward each other whilerotating in a tapping direction and then to be reversed as to direction:of rotation, where non-collapsing taps are used, and moved apart.Mounted on the central portion of the bed isa frame comprising a base l5to the, top of which is secured a pair 1 of parallelhorizontallyextending rails I6 and f ll. To the ends of the rails are secured abutsoment and centering assemblies comprising the circular plates, as hereshown, l8 and I9.

The plate l9, Figure 6, is machined to provide ,a central circularsocket having four segmental wall po tions, 26, each of which has acentral outwardradial projection 2| merging with the arcuciprocableslides 32 and33 which are. of identical form. Slide, 32 will beparticularly described and it will be understood thatthe samedescription will apply to slide 33. u u At its inner end slide 32islaterally recessed and longitudinally slotted centrally to providearms 1 vbetween'which is journaled a roller 34 on 2.113318 35, Figure 2.The forward orouter end of the slide is, provided with a wide centrallongitudinal slot so that arms 35 and 3] are provided. Se-

cured against the inner faces of the arms arehardened blocks 38 and 39which inwardly are in engagement with abutment shoulders andforwardlyare provided with knurled surfaces, Figure 5. To the extremities of thearms are se 60 cured, through tongue and groove joints, inwardlyprojecting jaw pieces 4c and 41. A pin 41pmjects from one side of slide32 through a longitudinally extending slot 43 in rail lo.

Slide33, ,hasasimilar pin M and the two are connected Q by .a tensionspring 45 so that the slides are yield-ingly drawn together.

A work transfer member 46 comprises a pair I of parallel arms 41 and. 48which at one end have eccentric pin 54. The transfer member as hereinshown is intended to swing between a vertical work receivingo'r loadingposition and a horizontal work dis charging position. When the member 46is in its vertical position, Figure 1, pin 54 is on a radius whichextends away from the longitudinal axis of member 46 at an angle ofConsequently, whenmember 46 is moved to horizontal position, pin'54 willmove from a position 45 above the horizontal plane of its pivoting axisto a position 45. below such plane. A second work transfer member 55 isthesame' in form and arrangement as member 46, but is mounted to swingin a clockwise direction instead of a counter-clockwise direction. Itspivot pin 56 has secured thereto a head 51 whichcarries an eccentric pin58 disits illustrated vertical position. is in its horizontal 45 by acylindrical out.

tom of -member v tal positions,'dead center will posed in oppositemanner to the pin 54 and the two pins are connected by a tension spring59. It will be evident that with the parts as shown in Figure 1,-sprin g59 will act to urge members 46 and 55 upwardly toward each other,whereas when members 46 and 55 move to their horizonbe passed and thespring will .tendto swing the members downwardly. 3 c s Bosses 49 andare provided with lugs as at 66 having. abutment faces directed inwardlyand substantially vertically and in the axial plane of the, pivot pins5| and 52 when member 46 is in When member 46 position the lugs occupythe dotted line. position of Figure 2. The bosses of member have; thesimilar abutment faces 6|, Figure 2. 5

At their free endsarms 41 and 48 of member 46 H are connected by aperpendicular flange 62 which the .same direction as Flange '62 issurmounted ardly projecting stud 63 provided with a springis off setfrom the arms in the bosses 49 and 50.

laterally recessed and of member 46. v Vertically reciprocable betweenthe axis of members 46 and 55 is awedge-shaped actuating member 66 whichhas laterally projecting flanges 61, 68, 69 and 16 whose outer edges areslidably guided by the inner faces of rails I6 and I1. These flangesterminatea distance above the bot- 66 as shown in Figure 2. The

- V edges of member 66, which are in cooperating regglation with theslide rollers, have the abrupt arcuate cam rises H and 12 at their lowerextremities, these being surmounted by the rectilinear cam surfaces 13and 14 which are upwardly di- .vergent' at a relatively slight angle tothe vertical.

Edges 73 and 14 are in turn surmounted by the comparatively abruptrectilinear cam surfaces 15 and 16 which are upwardly convergent. Member66 depends from a piston rod 11 whose upper z end is fixed to a pistonwhich is reciprocable in 75 a cylinder 18, the'latter being pivotallysupported of the described provisions from a fixed bracket '19, Figurel, by means of a pin 86 which is perpendicular to the plane of member66. A valve 8|, Figure l is adapted to lead compressed air from a supplyline 82 through one or the other of tubes 83, 84 to the top or bottom ofcylinder 18 for the purpose of reciprocating member 66, the direction ofmovement of member 66 being determined by the manipulation of the valveactuating lever 85.

In the use of the apparatus, a tubular fitting 86, which is to beinternally threaded, is mounted on stud 63 and is yieldingly retained bythe detent 64. The fitting, as shown, has at its end adjacent flange 62,an annular rib 81. The fitting 86, as shown, is the ball part of a balland socket joint, and the socket part (not shown), which is cludes a ribas at 87, may be mounted on the stud of member 55.

With the parts in the position shown in Figure 2, actuating member 66may be assumed to be moving rapidly upwardly by reason of the fact thatcompressed air has been introduced into the bottom of cylinder 18. Theslide rollers are bearing against surfaces 13 and 14 by reason of theaction of spring 45 and the slides are consequently moving towards eachother. Cam surfaces 15 and 16, striking the flanges of members 46 and55, throw or knock the latter outwardly to horizontal positions in whichthe flanges, as 62, of the members 46 and 55 come to lie in the outerend recesses of the slides. This occurs as the slide rollers reach thelower extremities of cam surfaces H and 12, the position of the slidesbeing then as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 5, and members 46and 55 have been en abled to reach their horizontal positions by reasonof the fact that the annular ribs of the work pieces have been receivedbetween the jaw pieces of the slides. Downward movement of members 46and 55 is limited by contact of their arms with the top surfaces of theslides and rebound is prevented by reason of the fact that pins 54 and58, Figure 1, have passed below dead-center so that spring 59 is actingto urge the members downwardly. When members 46 and 55 are in theirhorizontal position, in which their arms lie flatly on the slides, thestuds are coaxial with the centering and abutment rings and consequentlythe work pieces are also in coaxial disposition with 5 the latter.

12. During this movement of the slides the work pieces are substantiallystripped from the bosses and pressed into the centering device. Asdownward movement of member 66 continues, and the slide rollers ride onsurfaces 13 and 14, stripping of the work pieces from the studs iscompleted and the outer ends of the work pieces are pressed against theknurled surfaces of the abutment rings, the pressures being equalizeddue to the free adjustability of member 66 about pivot 86. The slideposition is shown in full lines in Figure 5. a 76s soon as the workpieces have been moved off of the studs the lower ends of ribs 61 to 1'6strike the abutments as at 66 and 6!. Figure 2, and throw or knockmembers 46 and 55 back to vertical position, the return being assistedby spring 59 as soon as dead-center has been passed, the spring servingalso to prevent undue rebound.

The relation of parts is such that the outer ends, at least, of the workpieces are received in the centering rings prior to the entire stripping'of generally similar external form in that it intheworkpiecesarereceivedin'the centering rings,

members 46and 55 may be returned in the mani I ner described, member-66still acting on the slides to cause the knurled jaw portions 38 and 39to.

, urge the outer' ends of the, workpieces against the knurled surfacesof the abutment rings so that the work piecesare forcibly held against rtati on. At 'thisjuncture,thetapping heads are thrown into operation andthetaps areprojected through the abutmentrings andengagethe work piecesto form internal threads therein. The

abutment rings are or sufiiciently la'rge internal diameter to provideclearance for the taps.

When the tapping qperationhas been comp1eted,va1velever 85 ismanipulated so that mem ber 66 is lifted quickly upwardly the operatorinthe meantime having reloaded the transfer mem- V, rod 11 by means of apin 9I. The other endof 40 "portions may beotdiflerent design toaccommodate work pieces of different shapes: While the specific workhandling mechanism herein described is designed to handle peripherallyribbed tubular fittings, it will be understood that the invention is notlimited in this respect, nor to other detailsof formand constructionwhich are 1 susceptible of variation to meet different condi- I tions. iu I i i Referring to Figures, reference numeral 90 designates a linkpivotedat one end on piston link 90 is pivoted to one end of a link 92bymeans of a pin 93, the otherend'of link 92 being pivotally supported on:a pedestal94umounted on a fixed support 95. l

Reciprocable insupport 95 is a driving portion in the form of a:slide96, whose upper end has fixed thereto a pin :91 which is engagedlinallongitudinally extending slot 98 of the link 92. Pivoted on the lowerportion of slide96 by means of i a pin 99 isa pawl I00 biased in aclockwise direction by means of aspring IN and limited by a stop I02 tothedownwardlyprojecting, relation shown. i A support I03 ;l1as1pivotedthereto :a pair of rocker arms I04 and I05 whose adjacent ends are splitand provided with screws so that the split portions may be spread forpurposes of adjustment. Arm I04 rests on the stem l06 of a valve I01;and arm I05 similarlyrests on a stem I08 g of a valve I09. Mounted on abracket IIO on support I03 is a:s'tud ,III on which isrockable a bellcrank member II2 having arms of equal length provided with the roundedextremities H3;

and H4 adapted to engage arcuate bearing surg facesof armsI04 ancl I05.A pinion I I5 mounted on stud III and fixed,jto member IIZ engages adriven portion in the form oi a veiticallyreciprocable rack II6 which ispositioned directlybelow the lower end of pawl I00. Rack I I6 is urgedupwardly by a spring I II. its upward movement being limited by astoppin II8 which abuts the lower face of supportIMl i Referencenumeral-II9 designates a spindle which is reciprocable and rotatable ineither direction, this spindle carrying the tool I3 and having aradially expanded flange I20. An arm I pivoted on support 95 is normallyheld by a spring I22 against a stop I23, with the lower extremity of thearm, which may be provided with an adjustable abutment screw I24, infront of flange I20 Arm I2I carries an arm I25 which extends towardpaw1I00 and lies in the plane of the latter. The direction of axialmovement and the direction of rotation of spindle I I9 are assumed to becontrolledbyknown devices whichare in 'turn controlled by a pistonmovable in one direction in a cylinderto cause the advance of the Ispindle and its rotation in a threading direction,

- and movable in the other directionin the cylinder to efiectretractionof the spindle and its rotation in the reverse direction. The valve I0!is designed toFsupply air under pressure to one side of the pi stonandthe valve I09 to the other.

With the parts in the position shown, arm I05 that air has been,supplied to the proper side of the piston so that the countershaftclutches have been actuated tocause unthreading rotation and retractionof the spindle. When valve 8| is operated in a manner to cause piston 11to descend,

pawl I00-eventually strikes the top of rack II6 forcing the latterdownwardly and rocking memand valve stem I 08 are depressed, which meansher II2 ina counterclockwise direction so that arm I05- and valve stemI08 are permitted to rise under spring action, while arm I04 and stemI06 are depressed so that air is admitted to, the other side of thepiston and the clutches are operated in a manner to cause spindle II9 tobe advanced and rotated, in a threading direction. As the spindle isadvanced flange I strikes the lower extremity ofarm I2 I, and as thetapping operation is completed, arm I2I has been swung t0 such an extentthat arm I will trip pawl I00 so that rack I16 is released and returnsto the illustrated position under the action of spring -III. When piston"lI subsequently moves upwardly,

spring IOI snaps pawl I00 back to the position.

shown, wherein it is ready to engage rack I I6 upon the next descent ofslide 96.

l The disclosed control linkage, while a preferred design, may bevarious modified while retaining the feature of the interrupting meansconstituted by an'arrangement such as the pawl kicked out independenceupon the movement of the tool.

I haveshown valves for controlling the appropriate supply of fluid underpressure, but other means of communicating the control to the spindleoperating devices may beutilized.

It wil1 be understood that the invention is not limited tojthe disclosedform and arrangement of parts except as inthe following claims.

H I claim? 2 Apparatus of the class described comprising a pivotedwork-transfer member swingab le between awork-receiving position and awork-discharging position, and work holding means at the latter.positioncomprising a fixed abutment and.

an annular centering means in front of the free end of said member, andmeans movable to remove the work from. said member and press it throughsaid centering means and against said abutment.

2. Apparatus of the classdescribed comprising a pivoted work-transfermember, swirigable between a work-receiving position and aWork-discharging position, a fixedabutment and an annular centeringmeans in front of the free end of said member, when the latter is inwork-discharging position, and means slidable in the longitudinaljdirection of said member when it is in the latter position for removingthe work from said a pivoted work-transfer member swingable ber memberand pressing it through said centering means and against said abutment.I

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising position to strip theWork piece'from said stud,

. said stripping means being constituted by a slide movablelongitudinally of said member when said member is in work dischargingposition, said slide having portions which engage the work piece atdiametrically opposite points during the stripping operation.

4. Apparatusof the class described comprising a pivoted work-transfermember swingable between a work-receiving position and a workdischargingposition, said, memberhaving at its free end a longitudinally extendingstud for the reception of a tubularwork piece, a fixed abutmentspacedfrom said stud when said member isin work-discharging position,and means opaerated when said member is in the latter position to stripthe work piecefrom said stud and press it against said abutment, saidabutment being apertured to pass a tool to the interior of ilr gal

the work piece.

5. Apparatusof the class described comprising a pivoted work-transfermember swingable between a work-receiving position and a workdischargingposition, a fixed abutment at the free end of said member when thelatter is in work-discharging position, and means. movable to remove thework from said member and press .it against said abutment, said abutmenthaving an aperture through which a tool may be engaged with the work.

"6. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pivoted work-transfermember swingable between a work-receiving position and a workdischargingposition, a fixed abutment at the free end of said member when thelatter is in work-discharging position, means movable to remove the workfrom said member and press it against said abutment, saidabutment-having an aperture through which a tool may be engaged with thework, and means positioned in-advance of said abutment for centering thework with respect to said aperture.

7. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pivoted work-transfermember swingable between a work-receiving position and a workdischargingposition, a fixed abutment at the free end of said member when thelatter is in work-discharging position, and means movable in onedirection to remove the workfrom said member and press it against saidabutment and movable in the other direction to release the work from theabutment.

8. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pivoted work-transfermember swingable between a work-receiving position and a workdischargingposition, a fixed abutment at the free end of said member when thelatter isin workdischarging position; reciprccable means mova ble in onedirection, to remove the work from said member and press it against saidabutment and movable in the other direction to release the work from theabutment.

9. Apparatus of .the class. described compris ing a pivotedwork-transfer member swingable between a work-receiving position and aWorkdischarging position, a fixed abutment at the reciprocable free endof said member when the latter is in Work-discharging position,reciprocable means movable in one direction to remove the work from saidmember and press it against said abutment, said abutment having anaperture through which a tool may be engaged with the Work, and meanspositioned in advance of said abutment for centering the work, saidreciprocable means serving upon movement in the other direction torelease the work from said abutment and withdraw it from said centeringmeans.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the construction andarrangement of parts are such that the work may drop freely uponwithdrawal from said centering means.

11. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pivoted work transfermember swingable between work-receiving and work-discharging positions,a slide reciprocable in the plane which said work transfer memberoccupies when it is in work-discharging position, actuating means forsaid member and slide reciprocable transversely of the plane ofsaidslide, said actuating means in one direction of movement serving to movesaid member from work-receiving toward work-discharging position and inthe other direction of movement to advance said slide to remove the workfrom said member and then to return said member, and. means forreturning said slide.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said actuatingmeans has acam surface cooperating with said work transfer member to effect thefirst-mentioned movement of said member and has another cam surfacecooperating with said slide to advance the same.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said actuating means has acam surface cooperating with said work-transfer member to effect thefirst-mentioned movement of said member, has another cam surfacecooperating with said slide to advance the same, and has a strikerportion, said member having a lug engaged by said striker portion toreturn said member.

14. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said member and slide areduplicated and the actuating means is in the form of a single memberwhich effects simultaneous operation of the sets of said members andslides.

15. Apparatus of the class described comprising a pivoted work transfermember swingable between loading and discharging positions, said memberhaving a longitudinally extending stud at its free end for the receptionof a tubular Work piece, a fixed socket opposite said stud when saidmember is in discharging position, and reciprocating means operable inone direction of movement and when said member is in dischargingposition to strip the work piece from said stud and insert it in saidsocket, the relation of parts being such that the work piece enters thesocket prior to passing entirely from the stud but is free of the studwhen entirely inserted in the socket so that said member is free to bereturned.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said reciprocating means hasjaws which are adapted to engage laterally projecting portions of thework piece so that upon movement of said means in the other directionthe work piece is Withdrawn from the socket.

17. Apparatus according toclaim 15 wherein said reciprocating means haslateral jaws only which are adapted to engage laterally projectingportions of the work piece so that upon movement of said means in theother direction the work piece is withdrawn from the socket and freelydrops from "said jaws.

18. In apparatus of the class described, a tapping head, a reciprocabletap" carried by said head, a work holder comprising a frame, an annularabutment carried by said frame coaxially with said tap, an expansiveannular work centering device carried by said frame onthe opposite sideof said abutment from said headQand means for presenting a tubularworkpiece in front of said centering device and for pressing the workpiece through said centering device and against,

said abutment, the tap being projectable through the opening of saidabutment to thread the work piece internally.

19. Apparatus of the class described comprising a frame; ahorizontallyreciprocable slide guided in saidirame, a work-transfermember in the form of an arm pivoted to said frame and swingable betweena vertical loading position and a horizontal discharging positionwherein it directly overlies said slide with a work piecelcarried by'thearm positioned in front of saidslide,

an annular abutment carriedby the frame and in front of the work piecewhen said arm is in dischargingposition, means for moving said slide toremove the work piece from said arm and press it against said abutment,means for swinging the arm between the described positions, and meansfor retracting theslide.

20. The combination with a machine tool comprising a reciprocablespindle, and work positioning means including a reciprocable element, ofcontrol means for the reciprocation of the spindle including a controlmember movable between two positions, a slide connected with saidreciprocable element to move therewith, a pawl carried by said slide andadapted to engage said control member upon movement of the slide in onedirection to move said control mam ber from one position to the other,means actuated upon movement of said spindle in one di rection to tripsaid pawl and release said control member, and means to return thereleased tion to the other, means actuated upon move ment of saidspindle in one direction to trip said pawl whereby said driven memberand there- Withsaicl control member are released, and means to returnthe released control member to its first position.

EDWARD W. BAKER;

